The Blog

Halloween in the northern suburbs. Where’s your favourite street?

Whatever your take on Halloween, it’s hard to ignore the excitement kids feel for dressing up and enjoying the adventure of the evening.

There’s a vibrant community feel as families get out to explore together in travelling clusters of little people.

It may seem a bit unsettling as three-foot-high witches and zombies look up hopefully when you open the door to the insistent tapping and little voices calling out ‘trick or treat’.

But, looking beyond, at the friendly gaze of their watchful parents, the occasion takes on a festive feel. Just a bit of harmless fun.

If you like Halloween with the kids, what street is best in your suburb?

Am told in Thirroul it’s around George and Philip Streets. In Scarborough it’s Goodrich Street. McCauley’s Estate is always busy. In Bulli, Cope Place puts on a show.

A friend with young kids who spent their Halloween walking The Brickworks yesterday said they were impressed with the number of neighbours involved. The neighbourhood felt closer than ever.

Whether the neighbours were young or old, with kids or without, every third house had left out a bag of lollies to be shared with passers-by or welcomed the chance to personally delve out the treats themselves to sticky smiles.

I’ve seen that with Halloween. People we often just wave to on occasions, can be those who open the door to a neighbourly chat that makes us feel that little bit more connected.

Comparing this to Christmas, which is more focused on family, Halloween can help us get to know our neighbours better, which is a good thing.

Of course, sometimes the pull of sugar can get the kids a bit too excited.

At one point I was told some very young kids opened a neighbour’s door before the neighbour could get to it. The parents only realised the error when the kids started walking inside uninvited. While the neighbour was good about it, the potential hazards of the occasion for kids and residents alike presented itself.

On the flip side, it seemed that whole neighbourhoods yesterday were loving the excuse to get their creative spook on. Over-sized spiders and plastic skeletons were dangling from picket fences for what seemed like miles.

It wasn’t just about the lollies for the kids. It was more about the whole atmosphere of the neighbourhood doing something fun together.